Means for lubricating bearings.



H. S. PIERCt.

MEANS FOR LUBRICATING BEARINGS.

APPLICATION men SEPT. 5. 19x4.

1,138,408. I Patented May 4, 1915.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HAROLD S. PIERCE, 01? PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO LINK-BELT COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

MEANS FOR LUBRICATING BEARINGS.

Application filed September 5, 1914.

In the accompanying drawing: Figure 1,

is a vertical sectional view through a link belt reduction gear, illustrating a series of sprocket wheels mounted on a shaft; Fig. 2, is a sectional view on the line a-a, Fig. 1; Fig. 3, is a detached perspective View of the sleeve containing the lubricating chamber; and Fig. 4, is a View of a modification of the invention.

Referring to the drawing, 1 is a fixed bearing, in the present instance secured to any suitable foundation, and mounted in this bea ring is a sleeve 2, which extends considcrably beyond the bearing and has a flange 3 forming ahead. The flange of the sleeve has threaded openings to receive set screws, as shown, to secure the sleeve rigidly to the shattet, which extends therethrough. he

sleeve has bearings 5 and (3 thereon and has a series of longitudinal channels '7 between these two points for the reception of the lubricant, and the bearing 1 has an opening 8 for the reception of a grease cup, or other means of supplying grease or other lubricant to the bearing. This hearing has an eccentric groove 9 therein which communicates with the opening, and in the sleeve is a series of radial passages 10 which communicate with the groove 9 and the several longitudinal channels 7 in the sleeve. In the bottom of the bearing 1 is a longitudinal groove 11, which also communicates Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 4, 1915.

Serial No. 860.414.

to the shaft 1 by a key 15, or other suitable means.

Mounted in the rim of the large sprocket wheel 13 is a bcaring sleeve 16 which carries a shaft 17 on which are keyed sprocket wheels 18 and 19. The sprocket wheel 18 is in line with the fixed sprocket wheel 12 and the sprocket wheel 19 is in line with the sprocket wheel 11 on the shaft 4. In the hub 20 of the large sprocket wheel 13 is a-groove 21 and communicating with this groove is a series of radialpassages 22 leading from the longitudinal channels 7, so that grease, or other lubricant, admitted through the passage 8, will travel through the channel 7 and out through the passages 22, thoroughly lubricating the bearing between the sleeve 2 and the hub 20 of the large sprocket wheel 13. By this arrangement there is no necessity forlubricating openings in the hub of the main wheel which, owing to the proximity of the sprocket wheels 12 and 11, would be very ditficult to reach in order to supply the-lubricant when necessary; and the parts can be lubricated while in motion.

\Vhen ordinary grease cups are used, centrifugal force tends to force the lubricant from the bearings into the cups, but by .my invention I utilize the centrifugal force to aid in lubricating the bearings.

I claim sleeve mounted in the fixed bearing and having a portion extending beyond the bearing, said sleeve having longitudinal channels and radiating passages extending from the channels to the periphery of the sleeve, one of said passages being at the bearing, the bearing having a lubricant opening coinmunicating with said first mentioned passages; and a wheel loosely mounted on the sleeve and in line with the other radiating passages.

2. The combination of a fixed bearing havinga fixed sprocket wheel thereon; a sleeve-mounted in the bearing and extending beyond the end thereof; a shaft mounted in the sleeve and extending beyond the end of the sleeve, the sleeve having a series of longitudinal channels therein and two series of radiating passages communicating with the channels, the bearing having a lubricant opening communicating with one series of channels, the other series of channels being at a point beyond the bearing; a

1. The combination of a fixed bearing; a-

sprocket Wheel loosely mounted on the projecting portion of the sleeve.

3. The combination of a fixed bearing having a lubricating opening therein; a sleeve mounted in the bearing and having a portion extending beyond the end thereof; a sprocket Wheel mounted on the overhanging portion of the sleeve; a shaft extending through the bearing and the sleeve; a sprocket Wheel on that portion of the bearing beyond the sleeve, the sleeve having a series of longitudinal channels therein surrounding the shaft, and two series of radial passages, one in line with the lubricating opening in the bearing, the other in line HAROLD S. PIERCE.

WVitnesses:

Jos. H. KLEIN, \VM. A. BARR. 

